ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. root — the cause
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. file — a tool
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. firm — steady
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bat — the animal
  12. file — a line of people
  13. firm — a company
  14. file — a document
  15. rash — a series
  16. rule — a law
  17. root — of a word
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. root — of a plant
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cell — in biology
  23. firm — decided
  24. rule — government

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com